A County Court Judgment is a legal finding that the money is owed, not a guarantee that it gets paid. Plenty of judgments go unpaid, and the court doesn't chase the debtor for you automatically. The right next step depends on the size of the debt and what you know about the debtor, not on picking whichever option sounds most forceful.

Step 1: Confirm it's actually unpaid before you act

A judgment normally gives the debtor a set window to pay, commonly 14 days, before you can enforce it. Check whether anything has been paid, in full or in part, since a warrant or writ applied for the wrong amount can be set aside and cost you the fee. If nothing has been received by the deadline and you've had no contact, you're clear to move to enforcement.

Step 2: Remember interest keeps running on the judgment debt

For County Court judgments of £5,000 or more, statutory interest continues to accrue on the outstanding balance at 8% simple per year from the date of judgment, separately from any interest you claimed up to that point. Below £5,000, judgment interest generally doesn't run unless the underlying debt already carried a contractual or Late Payment Act right to interest. Keep a running total, since whichever enforcement method you use should be for the correct, up-to-date figure.

Step 3: Apply for a warrant of control through the County Court

For judgments up to £5,000, the standard route is a warrant of control, instructing county court bailiffs to visit the debtor and seize goods to the value of the debt if it isn't paid on the spot. It's the cheapest enforcement option and can be applied for online through the same system you used to get judgment, but county court bailiffs have limited powers and success often depends on whether the debtor has visible, sellable assets at the address you hold for them.

Step 4: Consider transferring up to the High Court

For judgments of £600 or more, you can transfer the case to the High Court and enforce with a writ of control instead, carried out by a High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO). HCEOs generally have stronger powers and a notably higher success rate than county court bailiffs, particularly against business debtors, which makes transferring up worth the extra cost for anything past the smallest claims. This is usually the most effective single step if the debtor is a company that simply isn't engaging.

Step 5: Look beyond seizing goods if the debtor has no visible assets

If bailiff action is unlikely to work, for example the debtor works from home with nothing to seize, other routes may fit better. A third party debt order freezes and redirects funds the debtor holds in a bank account. An attachment of earnings order takes fixed deductions directly from an employed debtor's wages. A charging order secures the debt against a property the debtor owns, which doesn't get you paid immediately but protects your position if the property is later sold or remortgaged. Which of these suits your case depends heavily on what you already know about the debtor's circumstances.

Step 6: For a business debtor ignoring everything, consider a statutory demand

Where the debtor is a company, the debt is undisputed, and it's over the insolvency threshold, a statutory demand followed by a winding-up petition is sometimes used as a last resort, since companies often pay quickly rather than risk being wound up. This is a serious step with its own procedure and consequences if used improperly, so it's worth taking advice before going down this route rather than treating it as a routine collection tool.

A worked example

You obtained a £5,000 judgment against a limited company on 1 July. The 14-day payment window passes with nothing received and no response to your calls. Because the debtor is a company and the sum is above the £600 threshold, you transfer the case up to the High Court and instruct a High Court Enforcement Officer to enforce a writ of control, a better fit than county court bailiffs against an uncooperative business. You also note that statutory interest at 8% has been accruing daily on the £5,000 since the judgment date, and include that updated figure in your instructions to the HCEO.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Enforcement thresholds, fees, and procedures can change, and the right method depends heavily on your specific circumstances. LawClaims is a document preparation tool, not a law firm, and no solicitor-client relationship is formed by using it or reading this page. For a statutory demand, insolvency proceedings, or a high-value or contested enforcement, take advice from a solicitor.

What to Do When a County Court Judgment Isn't Paid